


the dance of the jaded lynx

by luxiian



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ash Lynx Needs A Hug, Ash Lynx and Okumura Eiji in Love, Ash is a prostitute but he's trying to escape, Eventual Fluff, Golzine is still an ass, Ibe sees himself as Eiji's uncle and istg has given him "the talk" at some point phft, Ibe ships Ash and Eiji, M/M, Photographer Okumura Eiji, Protective Ash Lynx, Why is writing Ash so difficult, charlie is not just a homicide detective, everyone is trying their best, happy ending I promise, kinda Slow Burn but not really, kinda angsty, lots of mentioning of drinking, my bb shorter comes along eventually, some content may be a bit intense but i'll add warning if it gets too much, someone give my boys their happy ending, someone save yut-lung please, stick with me, these idiots are so in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:41:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29233947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luxiian/pseuds/luxiian
Summary: Ash Lynx works at the sleaziest club in New York, Banana Fish, owned by Golzine. Okumura Eiji is tasked to get an inside look of the club and work to expose Golzine as a journalist. Ash just may be the person who can help.
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	the dance of the jaded lynx

**Author's Note:**

> Fueled by Queen's greatest hits and chocolate chip cookies, alas this was born

Eiji Okumura was standing outside an airport in New York, his suitcase at his feet and pulled out his earbuds which blasted Queen until he had almost gone deaf. His mentor, Ibe, was holding up a map of the city and turning it left and right, trying to figure out the right away to hold it.

"I'm in New York City!" Eiji couldn't help but exclaim.

"Shut the fuck up!" someone shouted back at him.

Eiji didn't even care, instead pulling his suitcase along behind him and taking in the cigarette and crushed dreams scented air. Ibe and him had taken a job outside of Japan for once, choosing to get the inside scoop on the city's sleaziest night club. He wasn't afraid, not at all. Well, maybe just a little bit. But having a little bit of fear was normal, right?

"Ei-chan, when are we going to meet Ash Lynx again?" Ibe lagged behind his younger partner, muttering to himself about how big the city was.

"Around eight I think." Eiji looked up at the towering skyscrapers, taking in every inch of the dreary looking sky and the crowd of people moving along the street like schools of fish.

They all knew where they were going; they all had their chosen path in life all figured out. Eiji at one point wanted to pursue a professional career in pole vaulting, and he was damn good at it too, before the accident. Choosing to photograph alleged prostitute-murderers was fine too, he supposed. From his file Ash Lynx was aggressive, assertive, unrelenting and stood his ground. Also, even though he wouldn't admit it aloud, he was very beautiful judging from one of the only pictures someone had managed to capture of him. Despite his rather notorious background, Ash was also very, very camera shy.

They hailed a cab, as seen on TV, and rode it all the way to their hotel. It was all that they could afford--lumpy mattresses, barely working television and all.

"Good thing there's no bed bugs." Ibe sighed.

"Is there room service?" Eiji jumped onto the bed, instantly regretting his decision upon hearing a devastatingly loud groan from the bed springs.

"No." Ibe settled down on one of the chairs in the room but shot back up and shivered. "It feels like someone died in that chair."

"I wouldn't put it past them." Eiji shrugged.

They settled and went out to kill the time, making sure to watch over their respective bags carefully. Eiji was holding a camera that cost more than he could afford in a year, knowing that he would never recover if he lost it. His parents had gifted it to him years ago, but he never had the time to use it when he was an up and coming track star. Now, taking pictures only a handful of people had seen in the little newspaper he worked for, was how he spent his days. That was until a very satisfied client contacted one of the higher ups in New York and they were flown out of there immediately to work with the police on taking down Golzine.

Although others who worked at the club complained about Golzine on numerous occasions, they still didn't have enough evidence to use against one of the most affluent men in the city.

"We'll briefly meet Ash tonight, if things go well, and we'll talk to Charlie tomorrow." Ibe explained as they sat in a cramped restaurant.

"Got it."

They ordered whatever was cheapest and downed a few coffees to help keep them alert once they got to the club.

"Do I look okay?" Eiji suddenly felt very self concious as they stood outside the bar. A neon sign glowed brightly against the starkness of the night air, blinking its name _Banana Fish_ at them. "Do you think it's too much?"

"You look fine, Ei-chan," Ibe patted him on the shoulder. "You're going to do great. And remember, I'll be nearby if you need me."

"Fine is not great, perfect, or very nice." Eiji was mumbling to himself as they walked in, loud music greeting them while waiters and waitresses danced around the room.

Little round tables were only half filled up while a single candle and two overturned glasses sat on top of every one of them. Most of the customers were older white men who all desperately needed a shower and a shave. Eiji suddenly felt very exposed and vulnerable.

"Let's sit here." Ibe directed him to a table near the back, nestled in the corner and just barely out of sight of the main stage that took up a grand majority of the space.

The bartender was serving up drinks in a blink of an eye to the men hunched over the bar counter. They kept glancing at their watches, impatiently waiting for eight o' clock. That was when the whole thing officially started: young dancers, not strippers, would go onto the stage and enthrall whomever had watchful eyes and a pocketful of cash. Others weren't dancers, merely those who would spend the night if you paid enough. Ash was predominantly the latter.

"Can you get anything?" Eiji had discreetly pulled out his camera from where he stashed it under his jacket.

"No." Ibe sighed again.

The clock struck eight. Dancers emerged from behind the curtains, scandalously dressed and sultry in every move they made. Eiji wouldn't even know where to begin to move like they did. Full of grace and languid movements, their steps perfectly in tune with the beat of the music. Hollers for one in particular made the both of them wince out in the crowd. A man--no, not a man--a boy stepped out, a silk robe draped over his shoulders. His long, dark hair fell behind him like an inky waterfall, while his eyelids were painted a deep red to match his robe.

"He's a child!" Eiji turned away, unable to look at him anymore.

"Ei-chan!" Ibe hit him lightly on the shoulder. "It's Ash Lynx!"

Eiji looked up from their table to see the blond in the flesh--even more beautiful then in his picture. His jade green eyes scanned the crowd, searching for something or someone, Eiji didn't know. He then stood up and swallowed, knowing he had a part to play. He walked over the Ash and said the lines he had rehearsed back at the hotel room before they left.

"Mind if I buy you a drink?"

Ash's lips curled into a smirk. "Not at all."

They moved over to the bar, settling on the wobbly bar stools. Eiji could hear the sound of his heartbeat in his ears while Ash called over the bartender.

"Two rum and cokes--vodkas. Two vodka shots please." Eiji cleared his throat.

"ID?" the man looked complacent, bored.

"Yes, ID. That's what you need to drink." Eiji sheepishly checked his pocket, already knowing that he wasn't even twenty yet. "I _may_ have left that at home."

Ash quirked a curious brow at him, amusement dancing in his eyes.

The bartender poured them two shots anyway before moving onto the next customer. Ash downed his in one go, as one would normally do since it was shot. Eiji hesitated, picking it up and examining it like it were a precious gem. He wasn't a drinker, not really. He drank occasionally back at home with his family to mark an important celebration, but that was pretty much it.

"Are you going to take it?" Ash gestured.

"Ah, yes." Eiji cleared his throat. "I was just warming up my stomach."

Downing it until he was left coughing and sputtering, he felt his throat burn and had the sensation to throw up. Vodka _did not_ sit well with him.

"I take it you're not twenty-one?" Ash asked. "Or a drinker?"

Eiji shook his head, his words coming out all gravelly from the aftermath of the drink. "Afraid not."

Ash chuckled lightly. "I could've gone for a rum and coke. Ever since Catcher in the Rye, it's been a favorite of mine."

"You're a Salinger fan?"

"Salinger, Hemingway, Fitzgerald." Ash caught himself when he realized he was talking too much about himself. "Is that your friend over there who keeps eyeing us?"

Eiji winced as he turned to find Ibe hiding behind a menu. "Yeah, that's him."

"Will he also be joining us tonight?" Ash ordered another round of shots.

"Us? Tonight?" Eiji's mind finally caught up. "Oh, no. It'll just be me."

Ash didn't say anything then, instead taking two more shots before taking Eiji away by the wrist. It was still fairly early, but Eiji didn't exactly know how these kinds of things went. In hindsight he really should have done more research. He quickly shot a glance at Ibe who nodded at him to go on ahead.

When they left the hazy bar, the air felt as if it were pure and clean, and the breeze helped cool down Eiji's head. He hadn't exactly been in an intimate relationship, let alone done anything like this before. He knew they weren't actually going to sleep together, but the idea of it still made him overly anxious.

"So we going back to your place or what?"

"Yes," Eiji led him down the darkened streets. "I'm staying at a hotel not too far from here."

They didn't say anything during the walk, their footsteps against the pavement and the sounds of passing cars filling the silence. Eiji didn't even know what to say in situations such as these. He watched plenty of American movies in preparation for potential conversation material, but they were all fruitless when it came to talking to someone like Ash. What would he even start with? Surely he couldn't go off on a tangent about where Ash grew up and where he worked.

_Oh God. He was screwed._

"You're staying here?" Ash asked suddenly, staring at the numbers that threatened to fall off the front of the door.

"I'm broke, what can I say?" Eiji led him inside, closing the door behind him.

"If you're broke how do you expect to pay me?"

"About that," Eiji pulled out his camera. "I work as a journalist back in Japan and I was assigned a case alongside the police to take down the club you work at."

Ash instantly took a step back, nearly colliding with the edge of the bed. "What?"

"I know it sounds insane and that Golzine is one of the most powerful men in New York, but we figured if we could draw you out then we could expose him for good." Eiji waited with baited breath, waiting for how Ash would respond.

"And you actually think that would work?" Ash was closer to him now, jabbing a finger in his face. "I've gone to the police personally and told them but they didn't give a _shit_ about me or anyone else who worked there."

"I can't explain that, but what I do know is that Ibe--that guy in the bar who very badly kept hiding behind a menu--and I can help you."

"You can't help me." Ash's voice grew quiet. "I'm trapped."

"I know we just met, but you need to trust me." Eiji held up his (badly needing a replacement) business card. "I believe we can help you and truly make a difference."

"Eiji Okumura," Ash tried pronouncing the letters. "So, Eiji, do you think you can help someone who is legally bound to someone?"

Something determined flashed in his eyes. "We can damn well try."

**Author's Note:**

> I know Ibe's name is Shunichi but in this story Eiji calls him Ibe (Totally not cause writing Ibe is quicker to writer, please what kind of insinuation is that)
> 
> *also, as aforementioned, charlie is not just a homicide detective in this fic
> 
> Take care of yourselves, lovelies. Till next time!


End file.
